Omaha daily bee., 1887-01-06
RELIEF FOR PACIFIC ROADS,
Judge 0risp's Opinion of the Railroad
Debt Extension Bill.
VERY LITTLE OPPOSITION TO 1T.
The Necessity of American CONT
mental Travellers Providing Them
selves With Passports-Na-
tional Capital News.
The EnnIinp BILL

10 the BEE l-CCngreSsman Crisp, of Georgia,
the member of tho Pacific railroad committee
In charge Of the bill to refund and extend the
Indebtedness of the Pacific railroads, states
that in his opinion but little If any opposition
exists in the house to the main proposition of
refuDding and extending the debt at a lower
rate OF interest; that whatever opposition does
exist originates in want of comprehension
of the provisions OF the bill and the facts and
law of the case. The supreme court has decided
that the government must pay the entire in.
terest up to the date of maturity of the bonds
In 1851, and the government lien could not
be enforced until that tme which would
require the payment of the first mortgage
bonds amounting to S60,000,000 The
existing conditions were in no wise dis
turbed by the bill, save that the Government
obtained additional security on branch lines
upon which 1t now nolds no lien. The bill was
proposition to the roads which II accepted
relieved the government from paying ten
me5s ne5eH at per Sn and
ure had been formulated at the
interior department under the direction
oil Assistant Secretary jerks now solicitor
general, and one OF the ablest lawyers of the
country, with some view of protecting the
Interests OF the government and the Pacific
railroads. The committee, upon careful
view of the law and equities ot the case, had
reported the bill recommended by the gov.
ernment officials. Judge Crisp felt war
ranted In making this statement because
the pending bill had been absolutely ap-
proved by Judge Thurman. author Of the
Thurman act. and Senator Mcdonald, of
Indiana, both of these gentlemen having
been members of the senate judiciary com.
mittee which prepared the Thurman act.
Judge Crisp further said that possibly some
members entertained various ideas as to the
pest means of extending and refunding at a
lower rate of interest, but that matter was
considered in Its special bearing of protect
ing the government. The pending measure
was most complete. There were undoubt-
eGiy stock jobbing spectators opposing the
bill, but they cared nothing for the govern
ment What they wanted was to wreck the
Pacific roads and by impairing the govern
ment security depreciate the stock.
SHOULD DE PROVIDED WITH PASSPORTS.
The secretary of state has received dis
patch from Frederick Rane, United States
consul general at Berlin, setting forth the
Rnnoyances to which United States citizens
subject themselves by neglecting to secure
passports before leaving this country Ber-
I'm, Frankfort, Hamburg. Leipsic and other
cities of the German empire are subjected to
a so-called small state of siege" and every
stranger or foreigner visiting these places is
required to identify himself by producing a
passport. Ladies are not excepted. Imme-
diately after the arrival of n stranger the
police authorities demand the production of
passport, and il he is not provided with
ns,Ot .ns nearest United States legation or
permptory order to leave No stranger can
enter the dominions of the Russian empire
without passport, while in several places of
austria, Italy, etc, similar prohibtory meas
continent Of Europe will do well to provide
themselves. with passports. Students desr-
ing to enter German universities can be
matriculated only upon producing passports.
The latter are retained by the authorities of
the universities and ticket of protection or
university membership issued. After such
membership ceases the passport is returned
to Its owner.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE. IN TIE SENATE.
In the senate to-day the Interstate COM
merce bill was up for discussion again and
the time occupied by Senator, Platte, who
the bill in its present form. While the oppo
sition that has been manifested to this meas
ure does not seem TO diminish in the least,
there Is very little doubt about its hnal pas
In IN the house Just as IT came from the com
mlttee of conference in spite of the predic-
tions of Senator Cullom, made in these dis
patches, that the bill was likely to be
conference committee report cannot be
amended by either house. Ii must be adopted
either in Its entirety or rejected and new
who ordered There Is scarcely
She measure as 1t came from the conference
committee. The objections seem to arise
principally from tho fact that there is, as one
of them very tersely put II to-day. too much
Reagan in It, but on The other hand there is
such demand, especially in the west and
south, Tor congressional action towards the
regulation of Interstate commerce, that
something must be done and senators, as
pecially those whose terms will expire on the
9TH OF March, dare not vote AGAINST 1t. In
the house, too, the same feeling prevails
Althon5h the Reagan pill passed by a big
majority, Ihere are great many members
who believe is will be far more detrimental to
the Interest OF their constituents than its
benefit will be able to balance. One member
from Iowa. In discussing the subject to-day,
said: II think the bill will prove far more
Onerous upon the farmers of Iowa than upon
the railroads Of the state. 1t is easy to see
how the long and short haul clause will act
The railroads certainly will not reduce their
haul charges to the pro rata figures of the
long haul, and in consequence the short haul
charges will be the basis upon which ali
charges will be arranged in the future if this
bill becomes law, Dut IL would be political
suicide for member 10 oppose this measure
Since the United States supreme court las
decided that the states cannot interfere by
local enactments with charles for carrying
freight from one state to another the demand
FOR congressional regulation of the inter
state traffc has become imperative. and
there is nothing left for lis TO do but to vote
for the bill" II seems to be the general i'm
preston that the measure will be finally
agreed to, and sent to the president by the
latter part OF the month.
ERADICATlNG PLEUHO-PNEUMONIA.
Judge j. L. Jones, a prominent stock raiser
Ot Delaware, o.. was in Senator Shcrman's
room at the capitol for some time this after
noon. Judge Jones is known throughout
Ohio and the west generally as an enthusiast
OH the subject of leglsating pleuro-pneu-
monla and other contagious live stock
diseases out Of existence and came here to
help the passage Of one of the bills now
pending In congress. Ho said to your cor
respondent tnat he found the Situation
believes "s s-r. is ns good GFsdaGesd PROSPECT fap he
the passage of the bill prepared by the
house COMMITTEES Oh agriculture, with a few
amendments, especially one Increasing the
amount OF the appropriation, and that it will
be satisfactory to the cattle men of the coun-
try. The bill amends the present law on the
subject by ensrging the power of the agri-
cultural department. and authorizing it to ex-
anime stock IN any part of the United States
with view 10 aScertaining IL contagious
disease exists. 1t gives absolute power to
the commissioner of agriculture and estab-
fishes rules governing Interstate transit OF
cattle. Judge Jones thinks that none of the
new bills, though some have many good pro-
visions, have any prospect for action at this
ession of con sress.
PIE SIGNAL SERVICE.
The annual report OF the signal officer Oh
the system OF cold wave warnings was issued
to-day. 1t has the following under the head
OF Des Moinss, Ia. Total number of sig
mails displayed, 20; justined, II; not justified,
3. Warnings We're furnished the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific railroad, OSCeOla Il